These are certainly the “Dog Days of Summer!” Temperatures in the 90s and 100s have been common throughout much of the nation the last few weeks. It is important to keep in mind the elderly during these particularly hot days as they are more susceptible than most people to dehydration and other heat-related complications.
Heatstroke can be a serious complication during this period of record temperatures and may be most lethal for people who live in nursing homes or take medication to lower their blood pressure, a French study finds. Heatstroke, which results from exposure to high temperatures, is “defined by an elevated core body temperature above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), associated with central nervous system abnormalities,” the study authors wrote.
They looked at the survival rates and outcomes of 83 heatstroke patients hospitalized in the city of Lyon during a severe heat wave that struck Europe in 2003. Estimates of the death toll ranged from 22,000 to more than 70,000 people.